2015 Atlanta Falcons Potential Draft Pick Profile: Edge Player Shane Ray

Missouri defensive end Shane Ray is a second-day prospect masquerading as a top-15 pick right now. The Atlanta Falcons have been projected to take him in at No. 8 by a multitude of mock drafters out there, but it's tough to see him having that top-10 value that he's projected as having.

Ray does fit the Falcons' new defense well, and he does have the ability to come in and help out one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL. However, if the Falcons select him with their No. 8 overall pick, it would be a bad value all-around.

Shane Ray

Edge Player

University of Missouri

Combine/Pro Day Measurements

Height: 6'2 ⅝"	Weight: 249 lbs	Arm Length: 33 ⅛"
Hand Measurement: 9"	40-yard dash: 4.64 sec.	10-yard split: 1.65 sec.
20-yard shuttle: 4.52 sec.	3-cone Drill: 7.70 sec.	Bench Reps: 21 reps
Vertical Jump: 33.0"	Broad Jump: 10'0"

Stats

2014: 14 Games Played, 65 Tackles, 22.5 Tackles for Loss, 13.0 Sacks, 5 QB Hurries, 3 Fumbles Forced, 1 Pass Deflection, 1 Blocked Kick

2013: 14 Games Played, 39 Tackles, 9.0 Tackles for Loss, 4.5 Sacks, 8 QB Hurries, 2 Fumbles Forced, 1 Fumble Recovered, 1 Defensive Touchdowns

2012: 12 Games Played, 16 Tackles, 2.5 Tackles for Loss, 3 QB Hurries

2011: Redshirted

Scouting Report

Strengths

Snap anticipation is the name of the game for Ray. He's excellent at figuring out exactly when to attack the edge and takes advantage of off-balance and slower SEC offensive linemen often. He has a relentless motor and gets a ton of his sacks based on coverage and closing pressure from the other side.

He's also takes good pursuit angles and doesn't miss tackles. He's an effective rusher when he can have the speed edge on a guy. He uses the little power that he has when he's taking on fullbacks to shed them quickly and has a multitude of pass-rush moves in his arsenal.

Weaknesses

Despite being touted as an amazing athlete, Ray looks stiff both on film and through his athletic testing at his pro day. The undersized defensive end could be a candidate for "Leo," but he has to be able to harness his football intelligence at a higher level than he has been in college. He's not extremely athletic and was near the bottom of this year's class in terms of his measurables.

He relies on his instincts, and right now, those don't exist when he drops into coverage. He also doesn't understand how to set up his counter moves properly. His trouble against the run game is exacerbated by the fact that his poor hand usage makes it much tougher for him to get off of blocks. Due to all of this, there's a real question on whether Ray has the potential needed to be a first-round pick.

How does he fit the Comrade Filter?

The only times that Ray has ever been suspended was due to the idiotic targeting rule. Other than that, he's been clean as a whistle both on and off the field. He may not have been a captain, but his nonstop motor is part of what makes him an attractive prospect for any team.

Coaches will see that his improvement from season to season, as it shows that he takes to coaching very well. Atlanta loves players who are great humans off the field and solid players on it. Ray would be someone that the new coaching staff would take to well.

Overview

Ray is a talented player who is being blown up by draft media as better than he is. He wins more with smarts than his actual on-field talent. He can make impacts if he continues to be coached up, but with just one year of true production, there's a real question of his overall talent.

Did Ray just have a great year because he was finally in the featured role within the scheme? Is he just another Jarvis Jones? Or can he turn it on and look more like a James Harrison? Those are essentially his best comparisons.

How he would fit into the Falcons' plans

While Ray isn't worth a top-10 first-round pick, the Falcons could potentially take him at No. 42 or after a trade up into the bottom of the first round. The Falcons would use him as an every-down Leo defensive end and could eventually start putting him into coverage more.

He would be a great fit in new head coach Dan Quinn's defense and should be able to create pressure at the NFL level once he gets a hang of going against stronger tackles. He'll take some seasoning to get to his final potential, and his ceiling isn't super high.

All stats used are either from Pro Football Focus' Premium Stats (subscription required), ESPN, CFBStats or the NFL. All combine and pro day info is courtesy NFL Draft Scout. All contract information is courtesy of Spotrac and Rotoworld.

Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers the Atlanta Falcons, College Football, NFL and the NFL draft. He's also a Draft Analyst for Pro Football Spot.

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